2024 Fashion On The Ration Challenge

weenancyinAmerica

Wraithlady - You are right - it is Eden Camp - it has been over 25 years since I was there. I visited several times while researching the Home Front in World War II. 

talesfromamicroholding

Does anyone here spin their own wool? Wondering whether I should put fiber down as the equivalent of 2oz of yarn or because it needs to be processed that I'd accept more oz for the same points.

Cherryfudge

Hello and welcome @talesfromamicroholding! That's a really interesting question and one we've not had before to the best of my recall.

Have a seat by the fire and tell us about yourself while we cogitate...

If this is your own wool, for starters, it's not something you're buying, so in some senses it's not a purchase though presumably there have to be care costs with your livestock so cost is incurred. It's also a commodity of value to the nation, so does anyone know how the government controlled acquisition of fleeces?

P.S. @thriftwizard, I think you spin, don't you?

Nelliegrace

There was a huge cull of sheep at the start of the war, by order of the Ministry of Agriculture, to make more arable land available for growing crops. Hardy sheep could still thrive elsewhere. In 1940 the Government, through the Wool Order, bought up the entire British wool clip at a set price, and every year of the war and one year afterwards. They bought up the surplus wool clip from Australia and New Zealand and the entire clip from South Africa too. I expect that there were still many farming families and smallholders who spun their own fleeces. 

thriftwizard

I do indulge in a little light spinning, @Cherryfudge! I think we counted it as coupon-free, last time I asked - after all, my wool comes from a couple of rescued domesticated lawn-mowers, rather than an actual flock (those were the days!) 

2Scratters

@thriftwizard Love the domesticated lawn mower

I have some pre war clothes that were my grandma's and have decided to do an exchange of sorts with an old friend who has  vintage clothes shop. DH is of the size of men at war and  my look at an exchange of items. Good idea for an afternoon out at another town. I actually have a hand made coat probably my grandmothers that fits me. It has some old evidence of the little blighters that attach unused items usually but I'm not too fussed about that as it can't be seen from a distance lol. I can decorate it with either a large cashmere scarf/shawl or a large silk scarf depending on how I feel. 

2 Scratters xx

Sarahspangles

It’s an interesting question. I asked my parents if they were hungry during rationing and they said they weren’t because your family could eat anything you grew or husbanded. Both sides of the family were already growing significant amounts of food and there were chickens and rabbits though you did need permission to keep a pig. They were only short of imported treats like citrus fruit and chocolate, plus sugar for baking.

Was there also an arrangement where you could use your own wool? I think if you had to use coupons it would be for the weight of finished yarn. So long as the discard was used somehow? There was an interesting ‘Sliced Bread’ radio prog last month that said wool pellets were the only effective way to control slugs!

[Must not get drawn into any admissions of yarn hoarding]

PipneyJane

@Nelliegrace. Mmmmmm…. Chocolate!  (Need I say more?) 

talesfromamicroholding said:

Does anyone here spin their own wool? Wondering whether I should put fiber down as the equivalent of 2oz of yarn or because it needs to be processed that I'd accept more oz for the same points.

Welcome to Much Mending on the Borrow, @talesfromamicroholding .  I’ve just made a fresh pot of tea.  Can I refresh your cup?  Do tell us about yourself.  What are you spinning?  Will you knit or crochet it up afterwards? 

You’ve asked a very good question.  Given the labour intensity of hand spinning, it doesn’t seem right to charge you coupons at the same rate as commercially produced yarn. Does the fleece come from one of your own domesticated lawn mowers, a local farm or have you purchased it commercially?  (Love that phrase @thriftwizard.)    If the first two, then I think the fleece is coupon free.  If the latter, then how do people feel if we charge 1 coupon a kilo?  (2lb 2oz in old money.)  That’d cover the scouring, etc, diverting the labour away from the War effort.  

As Nelliegrace posted, the Government bought the entire wool clips of Australia, New Zealand and Britain for the duration of the War.  I’m not certain how the arrangements worked in reality, because I know that wool was sold for domestic purchase during the war - as both yarn and cloth - in all three countries.  (Yarn was rationed in both Australia and New Zealand, as were clothes, but i know for certain that wool blankets were not.  When my mum was posted to Melbourne in the WAAAF, it was quite a cold winter.  She made herself a woollen dressing gown from blankets.)

- Pip. (Apologies if I’ve missed anything.  I started back at work, part time, on Monday and I’m knackered.)

Nelliegrace

I won’t need to buy any more linen huckaback towels for the duration. They have had a good, hot wash even though they were spotless. 
5 large and 4 medium cost £8.


Aren’t these pretty? Again £8. A wash and press needed, but they are perfect.

Cherryfudge

@PipneyJane, it's a big thing going back to work when you've been off a while. I hope you soon find your feet again.

@Nelliegrace, those are lovely hankies, such a lot of beautiful work in a tiny space, and the towels are good too. They look like the sort of thing that goes on to become old friends. if you know what I mean? (I have a tea towel that was Mum's which I suspect goes back to the sixties and is in regular use, though it did have many years away in a drawer before I brought it back into circulation).